Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingयज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः।
तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसंगः समाचर
yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ
tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya mukta-saṅgaḥ samāchara
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaThis man becomes bound by actions other than those intended for God. Without being attached, O son of Kunti, perform actions for Him.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
यज्ञ के लिये किये हुए कर्म के अतिरिक्त अन्य कर्म में प्रवृत्त हुआ यह पुरुष कर्मों द्वारा बंधता है इसलिए हे कौन्तेय आसक्ति को त्यागकर यज्ञ के निमित्त ही कर्म का सम्यक् आचरण करो।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiयज्ञार् थात् कर्मणोऽ न्यत्र
लोकोऽ यङ् कर्म बन्धनः
तदर् थङ्कर्म कौन्तेय
मुक्त सङ्गस् समा चर
॥ ९ ॥
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthayajña-arthātfor the sake of sacrifice
karmaṇaḥthan action
anyatraelse
lokaḥmaterial world
ayamthis
karma-bandhanaḥbondage through one’s work
tatthat
arthamfor the sake of
karmaaction
kaunteyaArjun, the son of Kunti
mukta-saṅgaḥfree from attachment
samācharaperform properly
Themes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA3.9What kind of action binds — and what kind sets free?
This man becomes bound by actions other than those intended for God. Without being attached, O son of Kunti, perform actions for Him.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.